Thoughts and stories

1st Week Retrospective

After being here for a week I feel like a pro (ha! I lie!). The simple conversations are getting easier but that means that people use harder words. I also found the most dangerous thing in brasil: pay by weight buffet. Anyone who has lived with me can probably see where this is going. Anyway, I’d heard these things were cheap but forgot I was in a foodcourt, and naturally with all these new foods I wanted to try a bit of this and a bit of that and ooh that looks interesting and… Yeah… so this ended up costing 3x what I’ve been paying for lunch elsewhere. It was good though. The 3 deserts I had were great too.

After the last update I went to train at the matriz again and got to meet CM. Gaiola (such a dude) and some more people. I’ve already got to meet and play with more amazing capoeiristas than any time outside of an event. Here’s hoping some of it rubs off. Hells I’ve been to classes with less students than there were contramestres on Thursday. Picked up some handspin tips from CM. Kibe to take home as well.

Ended up having 3 days without capoeira after thurs, which felt bad on the emotive side but good on the legs. Instead I saw the finale of Brasil’s most obsessed-about novela Avenida Brasil (the most controversial character spent the whole time crying… Get a grip) and went to the museum of independence museu do ipiranga. That was a pretty cool place, with a statue of the emperor waving a sword from horseback at the spot he actually sat on a donkey and suffered dysentry, so it was very historic.

Last night I was back at capoeira in 34 degree heat, so today has been spent constantly drinking water to try and catch back up! Great roda though, I played a bunch including with CM. Kibe, although I was pretty destroyed by that point. Had one of those survival games with an instructor I didn’t know who decided to test my reflexes. Fun all round!

So after 1 week here I at feel fairly settled, know my way to the most important places and some cool people. Finally got the tickets for our internal flights sorted as well so I’m looking forwards to plenty of adventures with Mel. Tchau!